Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (“CTE”) is the brutal, degenerative and incurable brain disease linked to repeated head trauma. Cases of the disease are linked to basically all contact sports and mixed martial arts is no exception with the list of known cases steadily growing. If you are a combat sports trainer and your athlete develops CTE … More Can a Trainer Can Be Liable For a Fighter Getting CTE?

Update – USADA has now released a press release with their take on these changes along with their actual policy wording below. It is worth noting that ‘substances of abuse’ mean not just cannabis but also various narcotics and stimulants. Also worth noting that the lack of punishment is not automatic but discretionary and premised … More “Substances of Abuse” Modified Under UFC/USADA In Competition Ban

Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on the Canadian combat sports scene with events sidelined due to the pandemic and even training across much of the Country being ground to a halt. Today the BC Athletic Commission has announced, with “an abundance of caution” the expectation that professional events may start resuming in the New Year in … More BC Athletic Commission Looks to Resume Pro Combat Sports in New Year

The first contract fighters sign is sometimes their worst.  Their deal with their manager. The world of MMA management is poorly regulated.  It varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and standards are far below those in unionized sports where players associations impose strict thresholds for agent certification. In some States and Provinces anyone can be a … More MMA Manager Contracts – A Critical Look

In December, 2014 Cung Le, Nathan Quarry and Jon Fitch filed an antitrust lawsuit against Zuffa, LLC, the UFC’s legal owner, alleging they have gained their market prominence through a series of unlawful and anti competitive business practices. In simple terms the lawsuit claims the UFC has been able to artificially suppress fighter pay as … More UFC Antitrust Lawsuit Likely Certified as Class Action

Today the US Department of Treasury (H/T Karim Zidan for first reporting on this) designated Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov pursuant to the Global Magnitsky Executive Order for being a foreign person who is a leader of an organization, the Kadyrovtsy, that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human … More US Targets Russian MMA Promotions for Ties To Human Rights Abuser

I once joked that an MMA fighter/promoter contract takes about one page to draft. The remaining pages are designed to screw over the fighter. There is some truth to this. When giving advice to fighters about signing promoter contracts it usually is along the lines of ‘tear it up and start from the beginning‘. Outside … More Professional MMA Contracts – Food for Thought for New Fighters

Anti doping consequences just became a lot more serious with the United States creating criminal and civil repercussions for doping conspiracies in “major international sport competitions”. The Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act of 2019 passed into law last week. Those involved in doping conspiracies in certain international competitions involving American athletes can now face, in addition to … More US Passes Rodchenkov Anti Doping Act